Who better to understand the needs of a small business than a company that is a small business? Despite all its strengths -- and incarnations – that is just one thing that IBM can never be. A small VAR is more apt to assign an individual, perhaps even the owner, to a specific client. That is huge to a small business owner who just doesn’t have time to repeatedly describe a problem to a different customer rep every time s/he calls for assistance. A small VAR is viewed as a confidante for technical troubles, someone who will lend an ear as well as a hand to help.

Typically, a local VAR will have a client base within the general community, which provides another base of commonality. There’s something comforting about doing business with someone familiar with the school district, neighborhood politics and the closest diner. Also, a personal visit is part of the regular routine for this type of solution provider, but far rarer from those companies with help desks in India.

Small business entrepreneurs currently providing some sort of technical service to customers should consider expanding to offer reselling (or even simply recommending) products. That could mean forging alliances with certain vendors to obtain discounted pricing. Ironically, some of the companies previously mentioned, notably IBM, have reseller programs for the small business market and will work with VARs serving this market. It makes sense for them to partner with the real experts in this arena: The SMB VAR. That results in a win-win situation for the vendor, as its product infiltrates the market place, and the small business VAR, which gains a subsequent boost to its bank account for recommending just the right product at just the right price point and servicing it just the right way.

And, of course, don’t forget that this VAR will have gained satisfied customers who, for instance, don’t have to struggle alone with turning over their systems to Linux. And that is priceless.

So, what should you look for in a VAR? First, ask for a sampling of customers. This is better that simply asking for references, because you're more apt to receive a list showing a variety of customer types. If the VAR works for a competitor of yours, determine the ramifications. If you proceed, be sure the reseller signs a non-disclosure form, which will help protect your company information from filtering into another camp.

Second, call some of those customers and ask them what response times are like. Even the least time-sensitive businesses want a reply to important IT issues within a reasonable amount of time. Figure out what "reasonable" means to you, and discuss it with the IT provider. One solution is to employ a tiered approach, for example: Urgent issues would be phoned in and a response would be expected within two hours; less pressing questions would be emailed and an answer expected within six hours.

Third, select a VAR who understands what your goals are for an IT provider. Set expectations for yourself and for your potential solution provider. It's a good idea to sit down and put in writing what you want from your IT "department." Are you looking for 24/7 support, or just a backup in case something goes horribly wrong? Of course, as time goes by, you and the VAR can revise this blueprint. However, being upfront with the potential VAR now will save you a world of hurt later.

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